Apparatus for tape dispensing machine



Jan. 2l, 1969 D. E. LlPFER-r APPARATUS FOR TAPE DISXENSING MACHINE sheet @f2 Filed March 31, 1967 E27-IGME @z wZmmmE mad.

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\N m [Q T5 ATTORNEYS Jan. 21', 1969 D. E. upf-'ERT APPARATUS FOR TAPE DISPENSING MACHINE Sheet Filed March 31, 1967 INVENTOR. DONALD E. LIPFERT #Jabw ATTORNEYS United States Fatent O 3,423,042 APPARATUS FOR TAPE DISPENSING MACHINE Donald E. Lipfert, Woolwich, Maine, assignor to Nashua Corporation, Nashua, N.H., a corporation of Delaware Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 545,761, Apr. 27, 1966. This application Mar. 31, 1967, Ser. No. 627.370 U.S. Cl. 242-7543 10 Claims Int. Cl. B65h 25/22 ABSTRACT F THE DISCLUSURE The invention comprises a horizontal platform rotatably mounted on the machine for supporting a spool of gummed tape with the axis of the spool lying in an approximately vertical direction. A brake is provided which operates under the control of the tension in the tape, by means of a dancer roll, as the tape cornes from the spool, to prevent wild rotation of the latter, the brakes releasing automatically to permit tape to be withdrawn from the spool when needed. After the tape passes the dancer roll, it is then turned from its vertical plane to a horizontal plane by means of an angularly-oriented guide.

Cross` reference to copendz'ng application This invention is a continuation-in-part of copending U.S. application, Ser. No. 545,761, filed Apr. 27, 1966, in the name of Donald E. Lipfert.

Background of the invention As set forth in said copending application, in nearly all tape dispensing machines that appear on the market today, the roll of tape is mounted in the machine with its axis horizontal. This unduly complicates the operation of loading the machine, and a great deal of ingenious mechanisms have been devised to enable such loading to be accomplished in an easy and quick manner. Furthermore, rolls of gummed tape can be obtained with the gummed side of the tape facing either outwardly or inwardly. Most machines that are made to date are adapted to receive a roll of tape of one of these two kinds, but not the other. A machine which accepts both kinds is therefore to be desired, since it gives the user a better selection of sources from which to obtain his tape.

Also, in most machines that appear on the market today, no means is provided for controlling the rotational freedom of the roll of tape in the machine. The result is that if one is using such a machine at a high rate of speed, there is a tendency for the roll of tape to gain suicient momentum (while the desired length of tape is being ejected) to continue to rotate after the tape is cut off. In such a case, the tape may pile up in the machine and thus jams it. An automatic braking device to prevent such uncontrolled free spinning is therefore greatly to be desired.

Summary of the invention Therefore, it is the general purpose of this invention to provide apparatus for incorporation on a tape machine, which permits the spool of tape to be mounted with its axis vertical, prevents unwanted free rotation of the spool platform while yet providing a freely rotating spool platform when tape is called for, and turns the tape itself from its vertical plane as is comes off its spool to a horizontal plane for passage through, and ejection from, the machine. As indicated above, the elements of the apparatus may be incorporated as an integral part of a completermachine, or the elements may be made as a subassembly and the subassembly adapted to machines presently on the market.

Therefore, among the several objects and provisions of 3,423,042 Patented Jan. 21, 1969 ICC the invention may be noted the provision of apparatus for providing a supply of tape for tape dispensing machine, in which the supply spool of tape may be mounted with its axis vertical; the provision of apparatus of the above class in which the spool is mounted on a rotatable platform, and means are provided for preventing uncontrolled spinning of the platform except when tape is required to be taken from the supply spool; apparatus of the above class in which a dancer roll is used to govern automatically the rate of spin of the platform on which the supply spool is mounted; apparatus of any of the above classes in which means are provided which automatically turn the plane of the tape from its vertical plane as it comes off the supply spool thereof to a horizontal plane for entry into the tape moistening and cut-off mechanism of the machine; and apparatus of any of the above classes which is simple and economicalto make, essentially easy to maintain, and foolproof in its operation. Other objects and advantages will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

Description of the drawings In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated one of several possible embodiments of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the embodiment as applied to a complete tape dispensing machine, the tape dispensing and control mechanisms being indicated only generally;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the FIG. l embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the parts shown in FIG. 2, looking lengthwise along the machine from left to right as drawn;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the apparatus, taken in the direction of sight lines 4-4 on FIG. I; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional end view of guide plates used in the machine.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and in the drawings the dimensions of certain parts may have been modified and/or exaggerated for the purposes of clarity of illustration and understanding the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a base 2 for supporting the apparatus of the present invention, this base being either the base 2 of the complete tape dispensing machine as shown in said `U.S. patent application Ser. No. 545,761, or a separate base which is adapted t0 be fastened to a conventional tape dispensing machine. The base 2 may be made of sheet metal, and preferably for lightness is made of cast aluminum. A platform 4 is rotatably mounted by means of a bearing 6 on the base 2. The type of bearing by which the platform is so mounted is conventional, and will not be further described herein, since it is well within the skill of the art to supply. A spindle 8 projects generally upwardly from the platform 6, and rotates therewith. The function of spindle 8 is to center a roll of tape 10 on platform 4 by means of the tape center or core 9 and to lock the tape thereto (by means which are conventional and not a part of this invention) so that the turning of tape roll 10 is controlled by turning of platform 4. One such way is, as shown, to have the core 9 of the tape a snug lit over the spindle.

A vertical intermedi-ate guide roller 12 is rotatably mounted on the base 2 adjacent one edge thereof, as shown, -this roller being mounted on a suitable bearing post 14 which is fastened to the base 2. The height of the rotating guide 12 is made slightly greater than the height 1.0 of the widest tape used in the machine, when the supply roll thereof is mounted on the platform 4.

A support member, generally indicated by numeral 16, is provided and comprises a fiat metal plate 18 which is mounted uprightly on the base 2 as shown, a conventional supporting plate 19 being provided for that purpose. Opposite parallel edges 20 and 22 of the plate 18 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) extend outwardly from the plate and their inner surfaces are pro-vided with the arcuate grooves 24 and 26. A at plate 28 is provided, and its oppositely disposed parallel edges are likewise provided with arcuate grooves 31) and 32. The spacing of the arcuate grooves 24 and 26 and grooves 30 and 32 is such that when a plurality of ball bearings 34 are fitted in between the respective pairs of grooves 24 and 35i, and 26 and 32, the ball bearings will provide a retaining and sliding means to retain plate 28 in slidable relation between the walls or edges 2t) and 22. Fastened to plate 28 and extending beyond one end thereof is a at plate 36 terminating in the yoke 38, plate 36 being fastened by conventional means such -as screws to plate 28. Between the arms of yoke 38 is rotatably mounted by conventional bearings a first guide roller 49.

A cam plate 42 is mounted on plate 28 by means of screws 44 in such manner as to project outwardly therefrom. Cam plate 42 is formed to provide a camming edge 46.

Mounted on the base 2 is a bell-crank braking mechanism for the platform 4, which will now be described. The braking mechanism comprises a flat sheet metal member which is vertically supported by conventional means on base 2 adjacent the plate 18-28 assembly, and between the plates and platform 4. Member 50 has integrally formed as a part thereof the upright U-shaped channel 52 within which is slidably received the brake-actuating slide member 54. Member 54 is slidably retained in channel 52 by means of the bent-over tabs 56.

At the top of the sliding plate 54 is rotatably mounted a cam-follower (in this case a wheel) which may be made of metal or a suitable plastic such as nylon. Member 50 is positioned on the plate 2 so that the follower 60 engages the camming edge 46.

A pair of bell cranks and 72 are pivoted by means of the rivets 74 to member 50. Arms 76 and 7S of the bell cranks extend downwardly and their ends are engaged by the ends of a tension spring 80. Later'ally extending arms 82 and 84 of the respective bell cranks are thus forced by spring to pivot about pivots 74. The inner ends of arms 82 and 84 bear upwardly on a tab 86 which extends laterally from the slide plate 54 so as to overlie said ends. y

Thus, the plate 54 is bi-ased upwardly to bring the follower 60 against the cam surface 46, which in turn biases the guide plate 28 to the left, as drawn.

Also forming a part of the bell cranks are the upwardly extending arms y88 and 90 which bear at their upper ends,

respectively, the brake shoes 94. As the tension spring 80 biases the bell cranks about their pivot 74, the effect is to bring the brake shoes 94 to bear against the bottom peripheral portion of the platform 4, thus checking any free rotation of the drum and thus of the supply roll of tape 10. To back up the thrust of the brake shoes against the platform 4, a pair of thrust plates 96 are positioned on the base by means of posts 98 so as to overhang the upper peripheral surface of platform 4, these plates acting to prevent undue moment being exerted on bearing 6 and platform 4 by the upward force of the brake mechanism.

It will now be observed that if the guide plate 28 is pushed to the right las drawn in FIG. 4, the result is to depress the slide plate 54, and thus rotate the bell cranks 70 and 72 about their pivots 74. This rotates the arms S8 and to release the brake shoes from the underside of the platform 4, thus permitting free rotation of the plat- Iform and the spool of supply tape mounted thereon.

A mechanism for turning the plane of the tape from its vertical orientation with respect to the base to a horizontal orientation is provided, as described in said patent application Ser. No. 545,761, -this comprising an inclined second tape guide member 110, the guide (shown as an exemplary plate) having its upper edge 112 curved in cylindrical shape in order to provide a smooth surface over which the tape can pass during dispensing thereof. This curved upper edge preferably takes the form, as shown, of turning the edge back on itself to provide the curved surface.

It is to be noted that the upper edge 112 is inclined to the p-lane of the base 2, and that the second guide as a whole is inclined to the longitudinal axis line of the base 2 at a predetermined angle. In this position its lower` end (indicated by numeral 114) is located adjacent a horizontally mounted third tape guide roller 115, and its upper end 116 is located adjacent the upper end of the roller 40. (Roller corresponds to roller 484 of said patent application, and is one conventionally found on tape dispensing machines between the supp-ly of tape and the feed rolls of the machine.)

The angle of the inclination of the second tape guide 110 to the plane of the base 2, and its angular lengthwise relationship to the base, are matters of adjustment. The function of the tape guide member 110 is to rotate the plane of the tape from its vertical orientation on platform 4 (and as it leaves the roll 10) to a horizontal orientation, so that it lies, at the time it reaches the tape guide roll 115, approximately parallel to the `base 2. It is o-bvious that changing the angle of orientation of the tape guide member 110 to the lengthwise axis of the base 2, and changing the angle of incline of curved edge 112 to the base 2, will shift the amount of rotation of the plane of the tape. One way of finding the proper angles is to take a length of tape and hold it against roller 40 and undernearth roller 115 just as if the tape were being dispensed. The tape will assume a natural bend o1` translation curve as it passes from one plane (vertical) to the other (horizontal), and the angles of this translation bend can then be measured and used.

Operation In order to use the apparatus thus described, a roll of tape 10 is mounted by sliding its hollow core down over the spindle 8. If, now, as thus mounted, the gummed surface 120 of the tape is on the inside, the free end of the tape is threaded from the one side of the tape roll (the top of the roll as drawn in FIG. l) rst around intermediate guide roller 12, around first guide roller 40, over the Curved surface 112 of the second guide member 110, and then underneath the third guide roll 115. It will be noted that at roll 115 the gummed surface faces downwardly, and thus is in position to be contacted lby the wetting lbrush of the tape dispensing machine. On the other hand, if the gummed surface is on the outside of the roll (as indicated by numeral 122) then the tape is fed from the other side of the roll 10 (the bottom of the roll as drawn in FIG. l and as indicated by the dotted lines 123) around the roller 12, around the roller 40, over the curved surface 112, and under roller 115. Again, from the geometry of the construction, it will be noted that the gummed surface of the tape faces downwardly at roller 115 and thus is in position to be contacted by the wetting `brush of the tape dispensing machine. In each of these instances, it will be noted that as the tape passes around guide roller 40, the gummed surface of the tape lies on the outside of that roller.

In the operation of the entire tape dispensing machine, when the tape is drawn from the roll 10 past the guide roll 12, guide roll 40 and over the curved surface 112 of the tape guide turner 110, tension is placed upon the tape. This exerts a force against the roller 40 and thus against plate 28, moving this to the right (as drawn in FIG. 4) against the bias of the tension spring 80. As this is done, the slide plate 54 is moved downwardly by cam follower 60 and cam edge 46, thus rotating the bell cranks 70 and 72 to release the brake shoes 94 from their engagement with the platform 4. The platform and supply spool are now free to rotate, and thus tape can be drawn from the supply spool. However, when tape ceases to -be drawn out by the tape feed rolls, tension is relieved and the dancer roll 40 moves to the left, thus permitting shoes 94 to engage platform 4.

In effect, then, the first guide roll `40 acts as a dancer roll actuated by the tension of the tape passing thereby to control the rotation of the platform 4. Thus, at all times, the platform 4 and its supply of tape 10 are prevented from running away. The result is that tape does not jam in the machine, but instead is drawn from the supply of tape in a controlled manner, thus leadin-g to an improved operation of tape dispension by the ventire machine.

In view of the above it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense, and it is also intended that the appended claims shall cover all such equivalent variations as come within the true spirit andscope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A tape supply apparatus for a tape dispensing machine comprising:

a base;

a support member fastened to the base;

a horizontally movable slide member slidably engaging said support member;

a rst guide member comprising a rst vertical roller rotatably mounted at one end of the slide member;

a horizontal circular platform rotatably mounted on the base and adapted to support, in xed relation thereto, a spool of tape;

a spindle extending vertically upward from the center of the platform and adapted to orient said spool on the platform;

a brake member movably mounted on the base and having a brake shoe adapted to bear against the rim of the platform, the brake member being adapted to be actuated by the slide member, the latter moving the brake member to release said shoe from its engagement with the platform when the slide member moves in one direction with respect to said support member, and permitting the brake member to engage the platform to restrain rotation of the latter when the slide member moves in the other direction with respect to said support member;

biasing means for urging said brake shoe against said rim;

an intermediate vertical roller mounted on the base remote from said first roller;

a second guide member for the tape mounted on the base for turning the plane of the tape approximately 90 to the axis of the roll of tape, said rst vertical roller being positioned on the base between the spool of tape and the second guide member; and

a third guide member mounted on the base horizontally i.and extending across the width of the second guide member proximate to the side thereof remote from said first and second rollers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said second guide member comprises a plate mounted uprightlyy on the base and having a smooth top portion inclined at an angle to the base and inclined at an angle to said third guide member; and said first vertical roller is positioned between said intermediate vertical roller and said second guide member along the path of tape from the roll thereof to said third guide member.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said slide member is a rectangularly shaped plate having two of its edges parallel; said support member is a rectangularly shaped plate having outwardly extending walls along two opposed edges thereof to form a shallow U-shaped channel structure, the inwardly opposed edges of the walls receiving slidably therebetween the slide member; and said rst vertical -roller is mounted between extensions extending from an end of the slide member with the axis of the roller lying in a plane approximately parallel to the plane of the slide member and in a plane approximately parallel to the axis of the spindle.

4. A tape supply apparatus for a tape dispensing machine comprising:

a base;

a support member fastened in vertical position on the base and lying generally transverse thereto, said support member comprising a rectangularly shaped plate having outwardly extending walls along two opposed horizontal edges thereof to form a shallow U-shaped channel structure;

a slide member comprising a generally rectangularshaped plate having two of its edges parallel, said edges being adapted to be received between the inwardly opposed edges of the extensions of the support member in sliding relationship;

means slidably holding the slide member within the support member;

a first roller rotatably mounted at one end of said slide member with the axis of said rst roller lying in a plane vertical to the base;

a circular platform rotatably mounted on said base on a vertical axis;

a spindle vertically mounted on said platform and coaxial therewith, said spindle being adapted to hold a spool of gumme'd tape fixed on the platform;

an intermediate roller rotatably mounted on an axis Ivertical to said base adjacent the end of said support member remote from said first roller;

a second guide member mounted on the base with an upper edge angled downwardly to the base, whereby to rotate the plane of the tape as it passes over said second guide member;

a third guide member mounted on the base horizontally and extending across the width of the second guide member, the latter being at an angle to the third guide member;

a brake means mounted on the base and bearing against the perimeter of said platform, said brake being yieldingly biased by spring means against said platform, the bias of said spring means being adapted to be overcome by motion of said slide member;

and said platform and said second guide member being positioned on opposite sides of a plate defined by said first and intermediate rollers, said rst roller being adapted to intercept the tape as it passes from the spool thereof to the second guide member.

5. The tape supply apparatus of claim 4 including a cam means on said slide member, and a follower on said brake means, with the cam means engaging said follower, whereby, when the slide member is displaced laterally by tension of the tape passing over the first roller, the brake means is moved from its engagement with the platform to permit the latter to rotate.

6. The tape supply apparatus of claim 4 in which said first and intermediate rollers and said spindle are located at the apices of a triangle whereby when a length of tape from said spool is led to said intermediate roller, then to said first roller and then to said second guide member,

the gum on one face of the tape may be caused, by reversing said spool on the spindle, always to lie against said intermediate roller, away from said rst roller and against said second guide member.

7. A gummed tape holding the guiding apparatus for a tape dispensing machine comprising:

a base;

an upstanding spindle mounted on the base and adapted to receive thereon a roll of tape with its axis vertical to the base;

a first tape guide member having an elongated curved surface perpendicular to the base;

a second tape guide member having an elongated upper curved edge inclined to the base along a line lying in a plane perpendicular to the base and having upper and lower ends, said plane being at an angle to a longitudinal plane of the base containing said spindle;

said first tape guide member being positioned between said second tape guide member and said upstanding spindle; and

a third tape guide member having an elongated surface horizontal to said base and positioned in a plane adjacent the lower end of said second guide member whereby tape emerging vertically from said roll may be passed first over said curved surface of said first tape guide member and then over said curved edge of said second tape guide member, the angle which the plane of the tape makes with the base turning as the tape traverses said curved edge of said second guide member and then over said elongated surface of said third tape guide member to maintain said tape in a plane parallel with said base.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said spindle is mounted on a platform, the latter being rotatably mounted on the base; the second tape guide member is a plate of sheet material whose upper inclined edge is curled to provide a smooth Surface for the passage of tape thereover; and the first guide member is a spindle rotatably mounted on the base and positioned near the upper end of the nclined edge of the second guide member.

9. The apparatus of Claim 8 including an intermediate tape guide member comprising a spindle rotatably mounted on the base and whose axis is parallel to the axis of the first guide member, the intermediate guide member being so positioned on the base remotely from said first guide member that the axes of the first and intermediate guide members define a plane lying between the spindle and the second guide member, whereby tape from said roll may be passed first over the intermediate guide member before passing over said first guide member.

10. A tape supply apparatus for a tape dispensing machine comprising:

a base;

a support member fastened to the base;

a horizontally movable slide member slidably engaging said support member;

a first guide member comprising a first vertical roller rotatably mounted at one end of the slide member;

a horizontal circular platform rotatably mounted on the base and adapted to support, in fixed relation thereto, a spool of tape;

a spindle extending vertically upward from the center of the platform and adapted to orient said spool on the platform;

a brake member movably mounted on the base and being adapted to control the rotation of the platform, the brake member being adapted to be actuated by the slide member, the latter moving the brake member to permit rotation of the platform when the slide member moves in one direction with respect to said support member, and causing the brake member to restrain rotation of the platform when the slide member moves in the other direction with respect to said support member;

biasing means for urging said brake member in a direction to restrain rotation of the platform;

an intermediate vertical roller mounted on the base remote from said first roller;

a second guide member for the tape mounted on the base for turning the plane of the tape approximately to the axis of the roll of tape, said support member being positioned on the base between the spool of tape and the second guide member; and

a third guide member mounted on the base horizontally and extending across the width of the second guide member proximate to the side thereof remote from said first and intermediate rollers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS NATHAN L. MINTZ, Primary Examiner'.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION atent No. 3,423,042 January 2l, 1969 Donald E. Lipfert It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 6, line 60, "plate" should read plane Signed and sealed this 17th day of March 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCI-IUYLER, IR.

Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer 

